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Girl Talk @ The Henry Fonda Theater, 10/25
"I've been stretching for a week for this shit," pronounced a very excited young man in green next to me, to anyone who would listen. "I did yoga. I did Pilates. Hell, I did Pilates twice! I am ready." Yes, the simmer of excitement that radiated from the crowd was palpable on Saturday night at the Fonda. These kids were dressed up and ready to dance. As the billing promised, "All ages" did show up at the Girl Talk show. From kids that looked like they had just hit puberty to a few elderly party-goers had all turned up to dance the night away.
In honor of the occasion many of these participants had gone all out. All of the hipster/scenester cliches were well represented as well as a few outliers of the fashion world. Wigs, feathers, costumes, and incredibly bizarre masks, were all brazenly displayed with great aplomb. In fact the kids who stood out were the ones were trying not to in jeans and t-shirts.
People were so excited about this show that before it even started people were beginning to dance. For example at one point a spilled drink became a slip and slide on the dance floor. I have never seen anything like it. A crowd of guys encircled the foamy mess and took turns trying to break dance in it. Which was both totally disgusting and inspiring at the same time.
By the time Girl Talk aka Gregg Gillis, finally took the stage the crowd was whipped up into a frenzy. (Although they used Nirvana as warm up music, which struck me as odd for two reasons. First, Rape Me is not a traditional psyche up song. And secondly, I couldn't help thinking that if Kurt Cobain was looking down on this he would probably freak out at the hipster vibe that practically oozed from the crowd. I suppose we'll never know).
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But I digress, Girl Talk took the stage in front of a dance-maddened crowd and the entire place shook with joy. Honestly. I won't call this a concert because in my book a concert requires, you know, instruments and such, but I would call it one of the best parties I have ever attended. For after all, Gregg is just a guy who throws terrific parties. With the help of his masked assistants, confetti, beach balls, giant plastic balloons, and toilet paper rained down on the crowd. These masked avengers had these amazing leaf blowers that shot toilet paper far into the depths of the crowd. Combined with a ridiculously good light show and what felt like a thousand heaving bodies, the pulsing music put a smile on everyone's face and a wiggle in their hips.
I think part of the genius of Girl Talk (besides making people's butt's wiggle) is that he appeals equally to men and women. He included Kelly Clarkson's Since You've Been Gone which got a large squeal of joy from the ladies which was countered a few songs later by the roar from the guys as they sang along joyously to Three 6 Mafia, I'd Rather. He really has got something for everyone. Including those who miss Blackstreet's No Diggity days.
After two hours of boogieing I had come to two conclusions. One, sometimes a party doesn't have to necessarily be about the music. If you can get everyone dancing, that's enough. And the second is that I have a new career I would like to pursue. Mr. Gillis, are you taking any more applications for masked assistants? I look divine in a mask and can throw toilet paper at the crowd better than anyone I know. Let me know if anything opens up.
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